Clasp for sleigh-bell straps



(No Model.)

` 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. A. W. BARTON & E. L. BRAINARD.

GLASP FOR SLEIGH-BELL STRAPS'. N0. 308,733.

4 Patented Deo. 2, l884. k @3.61

Way/[1111? (No Model.)

2v Sheets-Sheet- 2. A. W. BARTON 8v E. L. BRAINAR'D.

CLASP vFOR SLEIGH BELL STRAPS. No. 308.783.

Patented Deo. Z, 1884.-

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'Barnier aries..

ABNER W. BARTON AND ELLISON L. BRAIN ARD, OF EAST HAMPTON, CONN., ASSIGNOBS TO THE BARTON BELL COMPANY, OF CONNECTICUT;

CLASP FOR SLEIGH=BELL STRAPS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 308,733, dated December 2, 1884.

Application filed July 14, 1584.

To @ZZ whom t may concern.-

1 clasp with the connectinglatch.

(No modul.)

Fig. 2 is a Be it known that we, ABNER W. BARTON l plan of the same with the two parts discon and ELLIsoN L. BRAINARD, of East Hampton, i nected, and Fig. in the county of Middlesex and State of Con l 3A is an end view of one of the parts. Fig. 4 is a section ofthe clasp for 5 necticut, have invented an Improvement in i permanently A connecting the strap-sections. 55 Clasps for Sleigh-Bell Straps, of which the l Fig. 5 is an inverted plan, and Fig. 6 a crossfollowing is a specification.

Straps for sleigh-bells are usually provided with buckles for connecting the ends; but with these straps the buckle is usually at the under side, where it is diincult to connect or disconnect. Besides this, the buckle andthe fastening end occupy considerable space, audit is impossible to place the bells at equal distances apart all around the strap, and the bells are absent at the portion ot' the strap where they would be the most eiiective. Besides this, the straps have to be ofeonsderable length to pass around the horses body, and this necessitates the use of lapped and sewed joints,which are expensive and objectionable in appearance, or else the use of a single strap, which is not of uniform quality, the end portions of the hide always being of inferior quality to the middle. Y

VOur invention is made for accomplishing the following objects: rst, the placing` of the bells at uniform or nearly uniform distances all around the strap; second, the use of coniparatively short lengths of leather, so as to be able to niake use of almost all of the best quality of leather in the hide; third, the connecting of the ends of the straps by a clasp that covers the` end of the leather, so that the same can be cut oi'i in any desired lengths without the end itself requiring blacking; fourth, the connecting ofthe ends by a clasp that is secured to the leather by the same device that attaches the 'last or end bells on the straps; fifth, the easyclasping or unclasping of the connecting device, so as to either apply or remove the belt of bells rapidly; sixth, the connection of the ends of the strap at a convenient place, instead of at the lower part of the strap under the horse; seventh, the fastening of the strap of bells to the back-strap or other portion of the harness by an easily-disconnected device that forms part of the clasp.

In the drawings, Figurel is a section of the section, ofthe same. Fig. 7 is a perspective view in smaller size ol" a strap of bells. .Fig. S is a perspective view of the metal clasp delached.

The sleigh-belis A are of any desired size or pattern. Those shown are globular. These bells are fastened to the strap B. Usually screws c are employed, the same passing through holes in washers d and through the strap B, and screwing into thebases of the bells. Sometimes, however, rivets are used in place of-screws, the inner ends being spread upon an anvil introduced through the opening in the bell. Both those modes of attach- 7o ment are well known, and my improvement is available with either.

The clasp for uniting the ends of theleather is made of metal, either cast or of sheet metal cutout and pressed up to shape. Each clasp 7 5 has side bars, e c, united by a cross-bar, f, that passes across below the strap and takes the place of one ofthe washers d, and it is provided with a hole, through which passes the screw or rivet c. The distance between the side bars, Se e e, corresponds,or nearly so, to the width of the strap B, so as to keep the two parts of the strap in line with each other. At the other ends ofthe side bars, e, is a cross-plate, h, beneath which the end of the leather strap B passes; hence said strap is held at its end within a metal frame, and the extreme end of the strap is hid from View beneath the plate 7i, and the clasp is connected to the strap by the saine device that holds the end bell.

There the clasp is simply for the purpose of permanently connecting the ends of the two pieces of leather in the strap, the cla-sp will be made with both ends constructed in the manner before described, the distance between the 9 5 cross-barsf corresponding to the distance between the bells in the strap, or nearly so. The plate h is to be of a width to receive beneath it the ends ofthe two straps, and this plate may be wide or narrow, according to the de- 10o sired ornamental. character of the clasp, and there are cross-ribs h beneath the plate h, against which the ends of the straps abut. Usually this plate will be made, as shown in Figs. '-t and 5, with a hook, Z, at each side, parallel, or nearly so, with the edge of the plate, and extending out laterally, so as to hook beneath the back-strap of the harness that leads to the crupper, and upon the under side of this plate 7L there is a downwardly-projecting pin, which passes into a h ole in the said back-strap.

ln order to hook the strap of bells to the back-strap,it is only necessary to pass the strap of bells across the horse, bend up the backstrap into a loop, and pass the same in between the hooksl and the plate 71 and then straight- 4 en out the strap, so that the pin goes into the hole in the back-strap, and the strap oi' sleighbells is held iirmly in position.

Then the clasp is separable, so that the strap of bells can be easily opened for placing around or removing from the animal, the clasp is made in two parts, slipping together and united by a spring-catch.

In Figs. l and 2 the side bars or frames are continued as fingers 1L n upon one part of the clasp and similar iingers, o o, upon the other part of the clasp, and when the two parts of the clasp are pressed together the lingers n n pass beneath the iingers o o. lhere is a tongue, r, between the iingers n, but iu a different plane, and there is also a tongue, s, between the fingers o, but in a diifercnt plane, so that when pressed together the tongue s passes underneath the tongue fr. The parts should taper, so as to pass together easilypbut to hold firmly when in place, the edges of the tongue 1- coming against the edges of the fingers o, and there is a spring-catch, t, that holds the parts when pressed together. This catch is preferably in the form oi' a latch occupying a recess in the tongue s, and pivoted and provided with a spring to throw the latch end 3 up into the niortise Ll in the tongue o', and the head 5 projects suiiiciently to allow for dis' connecting the latch by pressing upon the head. XVe do not limit ourselves to any particular form of spring-catch. By this improvement we are able to vary the length of the strap by cutting off the leather and removing one or more bells, and various lengths of belts or straps can be made by selecting two or more straps and uniting them by the clasps, the combined length making up the desired size of strap.

In retaining the strap of sleigh-bells in place it is not necessary, as heretofore, to find the end of the crossing or other strap; but the connection is made to any part of such crossing-strap by bending the same up to pass into the connecting device.

Upon the cross-bars f there maybe projecting pins to press into the leather of the strap and increase the firmness of the clamping action; or holes may take place of projections, the leather imbedding itself in the holes.

Ve claim as our inventionl. The combination, with the strap and sleigh-bells, of the clasp composed of the side bars, e, cross-bars j", and plate h, and the attaching screw or rivet, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with the sleigh-bells and straps, of the clasp having the side bars, e e, between which the strap passes, the plates h, to cover the ends of the strap, and the perforated cross-barsff, and the attaching screws or rivets passing through such cross-bars and strap into the bells, substantially as set forth.

3. The clasp composed of the side bars, e e, between which the ends of the straps are received, the plates h above the ends of such straps, the cross-bars f, perforated, and the straps, sleigh-bells, and the attaching screws or rivets passing through the holes ofthe crossbar, and the hook or attaching device extending out laterally, substantially as set forth.

4. The clasp having end pieces, with side bars,c c, plates 7i, and cross-bars f, perforated, in combination with the straps, the sleighbells, the attaching screws or rivets, and a spring-catch to connect together the end pieces of the clasp, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination, with the sleigh-bells and strap, of the cross-bars f, the attaching screws or rivets, the side bars, e, plates 71, iingers n 0, tongues 1" s, interlocking with each other, and a spring-catch to hold the parts in place, substantially as set forth.

(l. lThe combination, with the straps and bells, ofthe side pieces, e e, perforated crossbars f, plate 7a., hooks Z, extending out laterally at opposite edges of such plateh, and a stud adapted to pass into a hole in the erupper-st rap, substantially as set forth.

7. In combination with the strap, the metallic clasp adapted to receive the two ends of such strap, the attaching screws or rivets, and the transverse hook upon the clasp, adapted to receive and hold a crossing-strap, substantially as specified.

8. In combination i'vith the strap and the sleigh-bells, the metallic connection receiving and holding the ends of the strap and extending from one bell to the next, and the screws or rivets for attaching the connection to the strap and bells, substantially as set forth.

Signed by us this 3d day of July, A. D. 1884.

A. Vf. BARTON. E. L. BRAINARD.

Vitnesses:

J. H. Lucas, N. N. HILL.

IOC' 

